Man. Or fhould a Parent command any Thing of Confequence, directly oppofite to the Laws of the Land, and the Injunctions of public Authority: here the Magiftrate, being the fuperior Power, in all Things that confeffedly belong to his Jurifdiction, is to be obeyed, rather than the Parent, who ought himfelf to be fubject to the Magiftrate. Or if, in other Points, a Parent should require what was both very evidently, and very greatly, unsuitable to a Child's Condition and Station; or had a clear Tendency to make him miferable; or would be certainly and confiderably prejudicial to him through the Remainder of his Life: where the one goes fo far beyond his juft Bounds, the other may allowably excuse himself from complying. Only the Cafe muft be both fo plain, and withal of fuch Moment, as may justify him, not only in his own Judgment, which may eafily be prejudiced, but in that of every confiderate Perfon, whom he hath Opportunity of confulting, and in the general Opinion of Mankind. And even then, the Refufal must be accompanied with the greatest Decency and Humility; and the ftricteft Care to make Amends, by all Inftances of real Duty, for this one seeming Want of Duty.

In Proportion as young Perfons approach to that Age, when the Law allows them to be capable of governing themfelves, they become by Degrees lefs and lefs fubject to the Government of their Parents; especially in fmaller Matters: for in the more important Concerns of Life, and above all, in the very important one of Marriage, not only Daughters, (concerning whom, the very Phrase of giving them in Marriage, fhews, that they are not to give them felves as they pleafe) but Sons too, fhould have all poffible Regard to the Authority, the Judgment, the Bleffing, the Comfort of thofe, to whom they owe every Thing. And even after they are fent out into the World, to ftand on their own Bottom, ftill they remain for ever bound not to flight, or willing

* See Taylor's Elements of Civil Law, p. 387, 388, 389.

ly

ly to grieve them; but in all proper Affairs, to confult with them, and hearken to them; as far as it can be at all expected, in Reafon or Gratitude, that they should.

4. The laft Thing, which in Scripture the Phrase of honouring Parents comprehends, is affording them decent Relief and Support, if they are reduced to want it. For thus our Saviour explains the Word, in his Reproof of the Pharifees, for making this Commandment of no Effect by their Tradition. God commanded, Honour thy Father and thy Mother: but ye fay, whosoever fhall fay to his Father or Mother, it is a Gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me: that is, what fhould have relieved you, I have devoted to religious Ufes; whofoever fhould fay this, and honoureth not his Father or his Mother; he shall be free. In St. Mark it is, Ye fuffer him no more to do ought for his Father or his Mother. And in other Places of Scripture, befides this, honouring a Perfon fignifies contributing to his Maintenance: as 1 Tim. v. 17, 18. Let the Elders that rule well, be counted worthy of double Honour: efpecially they who labour in the Word and Doctrine; for the Scripture faith, the Labourer is worthy of his Re

vard.

How worthy Parents are of this, as well as the other Sorts of Honour, when they need it, fufficiently appears from all that hath been faid. If they deferve to be loved and refpected; furely they are not to be left expofed to Diftrefs and Want, by thofe whom they have brought into Life; and for whom they have done fo much but Children, even if they are poor, fhould both be diligent in working, and provident in faving, to keep their helpless Parents from Extremities: and if they are in competently good Circumftances, fhould allow them a liberal Share of the Plenty, which they enjoy themfelves. Accordingly St. Paul directs, that both Children and Nephews, that is Grand-children, for fo the Word Nephew always means in Scripture, fhould learn first to hew Piety at Home, and to requite their Parents: for that

Matth. xv. 4, 5, 6.

8 Mark vii, 12.

is

is good and acceptable before Godh. Indeed Nature, as well as Chriftianity, enjoins it fo ftrongly, that the whole World cries out Shame where it is neglected. And the fame Reafon, which requires Parents to be affifted in their Neceffities, requires Children alfo to attend upon them, and minifter to them, with vigilant Affiduity and tender Affection, in their Infirmities; and to confult on every Occafion, their Defires, their Peace, their Eafe. And they should confider both what they contribute to their Support, and every other Inftance of Regard, which they fhew them, not as an Alms, given to an Inferior: but as a Tribute of Duty, paid to a Superior. For which Reason perhaps it may be, that relieving them is mentioned in Scripture under the Notion of honouring them.

One Thing more to be obferved, is, that all these Duties of Children belong equally to both Parents; the Mother being as exprefsly named, as the Father, in the Commandment; and having the fame Right in Point of Reason. Only, if contrary Orders are given by the two Parents to the Child; he is bound to obey that Parent rather, whom the other is bound to obey alfo: but ftill preferving to each all due Reverence: from which Nothing, not even the Command of either, can discharge him.

And now I proceed to the Duties of Parents to their Children on which there is much less Need to enlarge, than on the other. For not only Parents have more Understanding to know their Duty, and ftronger Affections to prompt them to do it: but indeed, a great Part of it hath been already intimated, in fetting forth that of Children to them, It is the Duty of Parents, to take all that kind Care, which is the main Foundation of Love; to keep up fuch Authority, as may fecure Refpect; to give fuch reasonable Commands, as may engage a willing Obedience: and thus to make their Chil

h 1 Tim. v. 4. 'Pietas Parentibus, etfi inæqualis eft eorum poteflas, æqua debebitur. D. 27. 10. 4.

dren

dren fo good, and themfelves fo efteemed by them, that they may depend, in Cafe of Need, on Affiftance and Succour from them.

More particularly, they are bound to think them, from the firft, worthy of their own Infpection and Pains; and not abandon them to the Negligence, or bad Management of others: fo to be tender of them and indulge them, as not to encourage their Faults; fo to reprove and correct them, as not to break their Spirits, or provoke their Hatred: to inftill into them the Knowledge, and require of them the Practice, of their Duty to God and Man; and recommend to them every Precept, both of Religion and Morality, by what is the ftrongest Recommendation, a good and amiable Example: to breed them up as fuitably to their Condition, as may be; but to be fure not above it; watching over them with all the Care, that conduces to Health; but allowing them in none of the Softnefs, that produces Luxury or Indolence; or of the needlefs Diftinctions, that pamper Pride: to begin preparing them early, according to their future Station in Life, for being useful in it, to others and themselves: to provide confcientiously for their fpiritual and eternal, as well as temporal Good, in difpofing of them; and beftow on them willingly, as foon as it is fit, whatever may be requifite to fettle them properly in the World: to lay up for them, not by Injuftice, Penurioufnefs, or immoderate Sollicitude, all that they can; but by honeft and prudent Diligence and Attention, as much as is fufficient; and to diftribute this amongst them, not as Fondness, or Refentment, or Caprice, or Vanity, may dictate; but in a reasonable and equitable Manner; fuch as will be likelieft to make those who receive it, love one another, and efteem the Memory of the Giver.

:

These are, in brief, the mutual Duties of Parents and Children and you will eafily perceive that they are the Duties in Proportion of all who by any occafional, or accidental Means, come to ftand in the Stead of Parents or of Children. The main Thing which wants

to

to be observed, is, that from the Neglect of thefe Duties on one side, or on both, proceeds a very great Part of the Wickedness and Mifery, that is in the World. May God incline the Hearts of all that are concerned either Way in this most important Relation, fo to practife the feveral Obligations of it, as may procure to them, in this World, reciprocal Satisfaction and Joy, and eter nal Felicity in that which is to come, through Jesus Christ our Lord!

I

LECTURE

XXIII,

The Fifth Commandment.

PART II.

N my laft Difcourfe I began to explain the fifth Commandment: and having already gone through the Duties of Children and Parents, properly fo called, I come now to the other Sorts of Inferiors and Superiors: all which have fometimes the fame Names given them, and are comprehended under the Reafon and Equity of this Precept.

And here, the first Relation to be mentioned, is, that between private Subjects and thofe in Authority over them a Relation fo very like that of Children and Fathers, that the Duties on both Sides are much the fame in each.

But more particularly, the Duty of Subjects, is, to obey the Laws of whatever Government Providence hath placed us under, in every Thing which is not contrary to the Laws of God; and to contribute willingly to its Support, every Thing that is legally required, or may be reasonably expected of us: to be faithful and true to the Interests of that Society, of which we are Members; and to the Perfons of thofe, who govern it;

paying,